Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic speech: He put Bangladesh on path to freedom

On March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, once a revered figured in Bangladesh, delivered a 19-minute-long speech to a gathering of over 10 lakh people that altered the course of history of the subcontinent and the world map. The passionate speech by Mujibur, also known as Bangabandhu, is considered to be the casus belli (provocation) for the liberation war that ended up in the formation of Bangladesh as a sovereign state.

In his address, Mujibur called for civil disobedience against the oppressive rule of the West Pakistani government and declared, “Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram”, which translates into “the struggle this time is a struggle for our emancipation”.

The speech was made in light of the increasing tensions between East Pakistan and the dominant establishment of West Pakistan. In December 1970, the Awami League, the largest political party in East Pakistan, won a landslide victory in the national election, securing 167 of the 169 seats allocated to East Pakistan, and a majority of the 313 seats in the National Assembly. This gave them the constitutional right to form a government. However, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, refused to let Sheikh Mujib become the prime minister. Following Bhutto’s advice, the then president, Yahya Khan, postponed the swearing-in of the Awami League government from March 3 to March 25, sparking massive protests across East Pakistan.

Violent clashes erupted in Chittagong, Comilla, Dhaka, Rangpur and Khulna, with security forces killing many unarmed protesters. Amid growing calls for Sheikh Mujib to declare independence, the Awami League called for a large public gathering at Dhaka’s Ramna Race Course on March 7, where Mujibur made the historic speech.

The impact of the speech was such that it galvanised millions of Bengalis. Fearing the growing disenchantment among people, the Pakistani army launched 'Operation Searchlight' on March 25, 1971, to curb the growing demand for autonomy in East Pakistan. The operation resulted in widespread atrocities, including mass killings, rapes, and the displacement of millions of people. This brutal crackdown pushed the Bengali population into a full-scale war for independence. On October 30, 2017, UNESCO added the speech to the Memory of the World Register as a documentary heritage, honouring its relevance in the modern world history.